My late uncle left me a very nice S&W .38, 6" barrel, and I think it is a Model10, and it has a round butt. Number on the butt is 41xxx with a star behind it, and numbers on the inside of the frame at the cylinder are 15xxx. Can you help me with rough manufacture period, or any other info?
I'm new here, very interesting place. Thank you in advance for your time and effort... I sincerely appreciate your help.
Clarke

My late uncle left me a very nice S&W .38, 6" barrel, and I think it is a Model10, and it has a round butt. Number on the butt is 41xxx with a star behind it, and numbers on the inside of the frame at the cylinder are 15xxx. Can you help me with rough manufacture period, or any other info?
I'm new here, very interesting place. Thank you in advance for your time and effort... I sincerely appreciate your help.
Clarke

I'm out of my league with this one. But what I can find is:
--the star has been referenced in the past as factory evidence of a S&W applied factory re-finish, but when you go back far enough... well, other answers seem just as or more likely

--if you think it's a Model 10 or similar to a Model 10... but it has an only five digit serial number AND a round butt frame, than it would be one of the earliest hand ejectors from 1903-1904... they called them the Hand Ejector Military & Police, Model of 1902, 1st Change.

--the book also says that the first square butt frames show up around the 58,000 serial range, which jives with your round butt 41xxx

--also says that six inch barrel was not offered, but 6 1/2" was, so you might find that it what you have if you measured it

Note that S&W didn't assign model numbers until around 1957, so it could be referred to as a "pre-Model 10" or an ancestor of a Model 10, but it's not a Model 10 per se.

Pictures of the revolver would certainly help!

__________________Attention Brass rats and other reloaders: I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

Sevens.... Thank you very much. One piece of information that I did not include, is that my uncle once told me he had sent this pistol off to have a new barrel installed, and that would explain the star. I will get some pictures taken and get them posted. Considering it's probable re-barrel and refinish (it is a true 6" barrel, not 6 1/2") does this pistol hold any historical significance or value?
Thank you again for your time and consideration...
Clarke

One piece of information that I did not include, is that my uncle once told me he had sent this pistol off to have a new barrel installed, and that would explain the star. I will get some pictures taken and get them posted. Considering it's probable re-barrel and refinish (it is a true 6" barrel, not 6 1/2") does this pistol hold any historical significance or value?

You're welcome for the help, but will point out again that I'm just pulling things from a -fantastic- book and little else.

Considering that it's a re-barrel, it loses out on the possible "wow" factor that S&W might have shipped something (original) that was uncatalogued or unusual, etc. However, there were periods of time (especially with certain guns) where they could be 100% made to order and if there was any variable, the customer could choose it. We've seen values go up in guns when a strange set of features not common to a particular model show up all on one example. But it's my belief (and I'm no expert, I'm barely even a hack!) that a gun shipped back to S&W would never be considered something like that.

It would certainly increase the cool factor and/or "value" if your Uncle included documentation on the return trip to S&W!

As for "value", this is also not my area of expertise. Yours is an early version of what did become the Model 10, so we are talking about a series of handguns that, it has been suggested, Smith & Wesson has built over SIX MILLION of. When they make that many, it means it was a fantastic design. But it also means something must be outrageously special if you want to see a high "value." Condition is everything, original box and documents also go a long way. It's a funny ballgame.

In my novice opinion, you have a very nice and high-quality relic from days gone by and personal history from your own family. That's the value in it. Unless it's in mindblowing condition, it wouldn't garner an eye-popping price tag. But I look at it this way: most folks that have an old handgun from a Great Grandfather or an Uncle have some Hopkins & Allen, H&R or Iver Johnson top-break rattle-trap. You've got a Smith & Wesson.

Interested in the pictures and with them, some folks who know these better will have better information for you. I suggest you post the pictures in a new thread in the Revolver area of the site.

__________________Attention Brass rats and other reloaders: I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

I just inherited a S&W 10-5. I would like to know more about it. It looks unfired. It says 38 S&W Special.

Value and year of make? It is a snub nose and blued.

Also, what ammo should I start with? It is not labeled as a +P so I will need basic 38 special ammo for sure.

D543xxx

Hmmm, I'm finding a conflict in the book. On one hand, D543xxx shows a 1973-74 production date. However, the main area of the book discussing the Model 10 shows a gun of that vintage to be a Model 10-6 and not a dash-5. In fact, it states that the "D" serial number prefix began at 1967 with the 10-6 Model.

As for ammo, the gun should be rated for +P ammo. SAAMI spec for .38 Special is 17,000 PSI max and SAAMI spec for .38 Spl+P is merely 18,500 PSI max. Personally, I don't think it's all that much of a difference, but the word from S&W seems to be that the revolver is safely rated for .38 Special +P.

As for it being "unfired", look at the cylinder face where the firing pin makes contact with the primer and look at the front of the cylinder where it mates up with the forcing cone of the barrel. If the revolver had been fired, I would think you'd be able to see evidence of it in those two places.

__________________Attention Brass rats and other reloaders: I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

Hmmm, I'm finding a conflict in the book. On one hand, D543xxx shows a 1973-74 production date. However, the main area of the book discussing the Model 10 shows a gun of that vintage to be a Model 10-6 and not a dash-5. In fact, it states that the "D" serial number prefix began at 1967 with the 10-6 Model.

I will look again tonight, but I am pretty sure it said 10-5. I don't think mine is a heavy barrel.

I have found this:10-5s were standard barrels made from 1962-1977 replaced w/ 10-7s in 78
10-6s were target or heavy barrels also 1962-1977 replaced w/10-8s in 78

As frames were produced they were serial numbered, but the frame itself would sit, in storage, until needed, then the other components would be assembled into a complete revolver - then the completed revolver itself may well sit in storage. S&W apparently also used "first in - last out" for removing completed revolvers from the vault to fill orders.

I am guessing that they could have chosen to make a 10-5 or a 10-6 on any frame. This may be why the book is confusing.

I am going to go with the 73-74 that you found, to be close enough.
I have been looking for a gun made in 1962 to match my B-Day. I guess designed in 1962 is close enough!

Thanks

Last edited by landonspop; January 22, 2014 at 06:40 PM.
Reason: more info found

On one hand, D543xxx shows a 1973-74 production date. However, the main area of the book discussing the Model 10 shows a gun of that vintage to be a Model 10-6 and not a dash-5. In fact, it states that the "D" serial number prefix began at 1967 with the 10-6 Model.

The -5 was a tapered barrel and the -6 a heavy barrel. They ran concurrently so the D prefix started for both at the same time.
Either way, serial numbers ran from D510001 in 1973 to D659901 in 1974.

Thank You again SEVENS, you have been very helpful and gracious with you time, and I sincerely appreciate what you have done. I am attempting to post some pictures from my computer, but not being very successful. Can I PM you and contact you that way, then send pictures directly?
Thank you again SEVENS...
Clarke

Hi stumbled on to this cool thread after searching for some info on a j-frame I have. It's a model 37 and the serial number is 601xxx. Could anyone give my a range on when my revolver was made? It looks like it was made about a year ago . Thank in advance.

ACW prefix shows up in the book as having been built between Jan and Oct, 1983.

Frame? N-frame. Same frame as the Model 27/28 .357 Magnum, which is the modern version of the world's first EVER .357 Magnum, which arrived in 1935. Smith & Wesson's .45 ACP, .45 Colt, .44 Special, .41 Magnum revolvers and 10mm-chambered revolvers also used the N-frame.

Pin? If you mean "pinned barrel" then no, it should not be, and if it were, you could see the pin. Pinned barrels were phased out across the line in/around 1982. Also not "recessed", as the term "pinned & recessed" tends to travel together. That means the cylinder chambers are not counter-sunk to enclose the case heads. Those features were dropped together.

Value? So subjective that it would be hazardous to even suggest. Your "excellent condition" doesn't offer anything tangible on which to judge. However... Given that you said it's got a 10 5/8" barrel, it sounds like it is a "Silhouette" Model, which likely carries a premium. It would be an early gun in this series that was offered from 1983 to 1991. It should also have the four-position adjustable front sight -- you didn't specifically mention that.

I think that front sight was gaudy on a revolver, but I loved the idea & thinking behind it. When I bought my 686-3 in the late 80s, I considered getting that option, but balked. I kind of wish I had.

Yours sounds like a pretty cool revolver.

__________________Attention Brass rats and other reloaders: I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

SEVENS: thank you for the information. someone at one time did tell me it was the silhouette model. it has the four position front sight. your knowledge on this and your willingness to share is appreciated. KJ

You're most welcome, but I'll re-iterate every single time...
The "knowledge" doesn't come from me a whole lot, maybe just a smidge. It's coming from the SCSW by Jim Supica and Richard Nahas, and it's just a fantastic reference. Many, many times I have simply picked it up and opened it to any page and just had fun getting lost in it.

__________________Attention Brass rats and other reloaders: I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

The book seems to indicate that BPS4473 would be 1994 production year, although it seems possible that it may have been produced in late 1993.

But 1994 seems likely.
I should expect that it is a 617-1 Model?
The book lists a Smith & Wesson "product code" of 100561 as being laser etched with "Target Champion" on it.

__________________Attention Brass rats and other reloaders: I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

I am looking at acquiring another Model 37. Serial number is five digits with a B4 stamped under the number. I am thinking mid fifties but there is something about the gun that just does not look right. Here are a couple of bad pictures but they are what the seller has provided. What do you think? Thanks.

__________________Attention Brass rats and other reloaders: I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

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